Raj Dhesi recalls finding out he'd win the WWE Championship.
At WWE Backlash 2017, Raj Dhesi, then wrestling under the ring name Jinder Mahal, would shockingly defeat Randy Orton to become the WWE Champion. Later that year, Dhesi would lose the championship to AJ Styles. Dhesi now says the two days felt very similar in more ways than one.
While speaking to Justin Barrasso in a new interview, Raj recalled how he won the WWE Championship and lost it, both on a few hours notice.
"There’s something very similar about both of those days,” said Dhesi. “I found out I was winning it a couple hours before the show. I found out I was losing it a couple hours before the show. Didn’t hear of any plan ahead of time. Didn’t hear any idea. Originally, I was told I was just going to have a match with Randy. I didn’t think I was going to win the belt. Rusev was injured, but he was the one who was supposed to wrestle Randy. Randy told me that Rusev would be back and that he was supposed to work a program with Rusev for the championship. Something changed–and I won the belt. When I lost the belt to AJ, it was the same–I found out a couple hours beforehand."
Dhesi continued, noting that the timing of finding out was not the only thing that made winning and losing the WWE title similar.
“I was thankful when I won it, and I was thankful when I lost it, too–grateful for all those opportunities,” said Dhesi. “It was a huge honor to carry the championship. I’m still motivated to be the face of a company. I expect big things and I’m excited for the future.”
Elsewhere in another interview, Dhesi revealed he almost wrestled Roman Reigns in a Punjabi Prison match. You can read more about that here.
